Australia's ambassador-designate in Thailand,  Allan McKinnon, speaking outside the court room, urged Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha to "allow Hakeem al-Araibi to return to Australia. He is a refugee, allow him to return to Australia, to his friends and his family and the Australian community".

McKinnon was flanked by ambassadors and representatives from the US and European Union countries, underscoring how Araibi's case is fast becoming an international embarrassment for Thailand and Bahrain. Representatives from FIFA, human rights groups and advocates for Araibi including former socceroos Craig Foster and Francis Awartefe were also present.

The Melbourne-based refugee footballer will next appear in court on April 22, when decisions will be made on who can appear as a witness in the case, and how long the extradition hearing will last.

Araibi, who was detained in Bangkok on November 27 after an Interpol Red Notice was incorrectly issued for his arrest, formally objected on Monday to Bahrain’s request to extradite him. He has previously said he fears being tortured; or even killed, if he is sent back to Bahrain, his birth country, which he fled in 2014.

On the way into a Bangkok court for the hearing on Monday, Araibi made a desperate plea for freedom.

“Please don’t send me back to Bahrain, they will torture me,” Araibi said as he was briskly walked past a large contingent of international media outside a Bangkok court, his legs shackled and feet bare.

During the hearing, prosecutors requested that Araibi's case be brought back to court in fewer than 60 days.

But the footballer argued, through his lawyers, that he needed at least 60 days as the case against him was set out in Arabic, English and Thai.

In addition, he cited the need to gather evidence to mount his defence.

The 25-year-old Araibi was found guilty by a Bahraini court of vandalising a police station in 2012. He has always maintained his innocence and in court, he pointed out he was playing in a soccer game that was broadcast on live TV until about 20 minutes before the crime was committed.

Araibi said he feared heavy punishment if he was returned to Bahrain, and that he is was being persecuted for having sought asylum in Australia, and for religious reasons.

Araibi has been denied bail and will remain in the Bangkok Remand Prison.

Bahrain formally submitted its request last week to extradite the Bahrain-born footballer, who has been granted refugee status by Australia and who plays soccer for Melbourne’s Pascoe Vale FC.

Foster, who has been campaigning for Araibi to be freed, said ahead of the hearing on Monday that international club and country football matches should be suspended in Thailand until Araibi was freed.

“No footballer is safe,” Foster said, adding that football sanctions should be imposed on Thailand and Bahrain.

“How can FIFA say that you can continue to host matches here?”

“When it comes to potential sanctions, we believe the first step would be an inability to host international games in Thailand.

“If the country can’t guarantee the safety of a footballer ... clearly the ability to host matches inside Thailand is compromised.”

McKinnon said the Thai Prime Minister had the power to intervene and release Araibi at any time, and should do so.

"With respect, we are asking the Thai government to act now to free Hakeem al-Araibi and allow him to go back to Australia," he said.

Asked if football sanctions should be brought against Thailand and Bahrain, McKinnon said "that’s a question for Thailand to consider. The ramifications of its actions, for its relationships with other bodies and other governments".

FIFA has publicly flagged its concerns and written to Prime Minister Prayut about the case, too.

Addiechi Federico, the world football body's head of sustainability and diversity, said it was active lobbying behind the scenes and in public.

He would not say if FIFA would consider footballing sanctions against either Thailand or Bahrain.

“We are here to show respect and support to Hakeem," he said.

“We are doing much more than sending an angry letter, I can assure you of that."

Former Socceroo Awaritefe, who is now the vice-president of Fifpro, the players’ union, said the Australian government had done a good job so far on Araibi’s behalf, but more needed to be done.

“Hakeem should be returned [to Australia], he does have refugee protection ... and Thailand does have obligations under United Nations conventions against torture.”

Araibi’s detention has drawn growing international media attention as well as criticism from FIFA, the Asian Football Confederation and the international Olympic Committee.

Araibi supporters argue he has been targeted by Bahrain because of his public criticism of Sheikh Salman, a member of Bahrain’s royal family who sought, but missed out, on the FIFA presidency in 2016.

In an interview with The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age last week, Araibi pleaded with Australian authorities to keep fighting for his release and said he feared torture, or even being killed, if he is sent back to Bahrain.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has written directly to  Prime Minister Prayut seeking Araibi’s release.

Araibi was detained in Thailand when he arrived for a one week honeymoon after an Interpol Red Notice was incorrectly issued for his arrest.

Refugees are not supposed to be subject to Red Notices, which are a form of international arrest warrant, from the country from which they have fled.

The notice was subsequently withdrawn but Araibi remains in a Bangkok prison as Bahrain seeks to extradite him.